# US citizens allowed to bring back $100 worth of Cuban tobacco?



## pflau (Apr 22, 2015)

Is it true that the embargo is being relaxed?


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## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

Yes, but you still can't travel to Cuba for vacation. I forgot the actual purposes that let's US citizens travel their. I think they are educational, medical and few other things.


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## pflau (Apr 22, 2015)

elco69 said:


> Yes, but you still can't travel to Cuba for vacation. I forgot the actual purposes that let's US citizens travel their. I think they are educational, medical and few other things.


I don't mean traveling, I mean trade embargo. I have a couple Cubans here at Mexico and wonder if I can just bring them back through custom or do I need to smoke them here. So I guess the answer is yes?


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## Busco (Sep 22, 2015)

The answer is no. You are allowed to bring $100 worth of cigars back from Cuba only. No other destination. Strange but true. Just take the bands off or cover them with a NC band. You'll be fine.


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## rbelcastro (Sep 19, 2013)

pflau said:


> I don't mean traveling, I mean trade embargo. I have a couple Cubans here at Mexico and wonder if I can just bring them back through custom or do I need to smoke them here. So I guess the answer is yes?


On the bright side, if they came in a glass-top box, just bring them on through customs because they aren't cubans :vs_smirk:


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## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

pflau said:


> I don't mean traveling, I mean trade embargo. I have a couple Cubans here at Mexico and wonder if I can just bring them back through custom or do I need to smoke them here. So I guess the answer is yes?


Bring them back if you'd like, just remove the bands. You could just slide them off and put them in your wallet. If customs ask, it was just left over from your personal cigars that you brought down with you.


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## rbelcastro (Sep 19, 2013)

elco69 said:


> Bring them back if you'd like, just remove the bands. You could just slide them off and put them in your wallet. If customs ask, it was just left over from your personal cigars that you brought down with you.


This is what I frequently do.


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## Busco (Sep 22, 2015)

elco69 said:


> Bring them back if you'd like, just remove the bands. You could just slide them off and put them in your wallet. If customs ask, it was just left over from your personal cigars that you brought down with you.


Not sure that I would tell customs that I smuggled contraband out of the country and am bringing the remnants back with me... Just tell them you purchased and smoked in country. I highly doubt it would come into question though.


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## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

Busco said:


> Not sure that I would tell customs that I smuggled contraband out of the country and am bringing the remnants back with me....


What contraband? I take sticks with me when I travel all the time. It is not against the law to take cigars with you. The point of removing the bands is so they can't tell the country of manufacturing.


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## Busco (Sep 22, 2015)

elco69 said:


> What contraband? I take sticks with me when I travel all the time. It is not against the law to take cigars with you. The point of removing the bands is so they can't tell the country of manufacturing.


Maybe I'm missing something. Didn't you tell him to put the ISOM labels in his wallet, then tell the customs agent you had them when you entered the country but smoked them while on vacation? It's early and I haven't had my coffee...


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## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

Busco said:


> Maybe I'm missing something. Didn't you tell him to put the ISOM labels in his wallet, then tell the customs agent you had them when you entered the country but smoked them while on vacation? It's early and I haven't had my coffee...


No worries, I am like that in the morning, still waking up myself. They won't search his wallet and besides they can't say the bands in the wallet belong to the bandless cigars that he has. No over thinking, customs probably doesn't give a crap for such a small amount. My last few trips to Mexico, I claimed I had tobacco, they asked what kind, told them, cigars. Then they asked how many, I said 10 he smiled stamped my paperwork and moved on.

If you want to get ultra paranoid, just throw the bands away and relabel them with blank bands when you get home, but this is way over thinking things.


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

The new rules only allow authorized travelers (IE humanitarian, educational travel; tourism is still not allowed) to Cuba to bring back $100 worth, total, directly from Cuba. You cannot purchase Cuban good anywhere else and bring them back into the country.

As far as bringing cigars across the border, you are allowed to bring cigars with you out of the country, and allowed to bring them back in as well. Henry is suggesting you tell the customs agent that the cigars you're bringing back are the ones you brought with you from home when you entered.


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## Shemp75 (May 26, 2012)

pflau said:


> I don't mean traveling, I mean trade embargo. I have a couple Cubans here at Mexico and wonder if I can just bring them back through custom or do I need to smoke them here. So I guess the answer is yes?


who needs cuban and Mexican travelers when all you need is a Credit Card and you can have all the CCs you want?


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